Wall mounted ring and hook game



1961 G. A. LYON 3,009,702

WALL MOUNTED RING AND HOOK GAME Filed Aug. 18, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l @M@arM 9 Nov. 21, 1961 G. A. LYON WALL MOUNTED RING AND HOOK GAME 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 18, 1958 [27 FE]? [427? 615mm: A'LBERT A rawfigs.

United States Patent 3,009,702 WALL MOUNTED RING AND HOOK GAME GeorgeAlbert Lyon, 13881 W. Chicago Blvd., Detroit 28, Mich. Filed Aug. 18,1958, Ser. No. 755,476 7 Claims. (Cl. 273-99) The present inventionrelates to improvements in action games and more particularly concerns anovel wall mounted ring and hook game.

An important object of the present invention is to provide an improvedcompact ring and hook game which is constructed and arranged to bemounted upon a supporting wall relative to which the game is adapted tobe compactly collapsed when not in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved ring and hookgame of simple construction including improved means for quickly andpositively erecting the same from a collapsed condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a ring and hook typegame including an improved supporting arm and bracket construction forquick collapsing or erecting of the arm relative to the bracket.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved wall mountedgame structure embodying members that must project a substantialdistance from the wall for playing purposes but which are cooperativelyrelated for compact collapsed, non-operating relation close to the wall.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will bereadily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,in which:

FIGURE 1 is a'more or less schematic illustration of a wall havingmounted thereon a game embodying features of the invention and with thegame erected for P y;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the wall and the game in collapsedposition relative to the wall;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevational view of the upperportion of the supporting bracket and the base, connecting end of thering supporting arm;

FIGURE 4 is an isometric view of the upper portion of the supportingbracket;

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged fragmental sectional elevational view takensubstantially on the line V-V of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmental vertical sectional elevational view takensubstantially on the line VI--VI of FIG- URE 5.

A game device according to the present invention includes a cantileverarm 10 supported by a bracket 11 operatively carried by a vertical wall12 or equivalent vertical supporting surface. At the free end of the arm10 is supported a preferably flexible swingable tether 13 carrying atits free end a ring 14 or its equivalent engageable scoringly with ahook member 15 also supported by the bracket 11.

In a desirable form, the boom-like cantilever arm 10 is formed fromsuitable sheet metal and is of inverted U-shape cross-section (FIG. 5)provided with coextensive parallel side flanges 17 providing asubstantially rigid structure of hollow channel shape, with the channelopening downwardly when the arm projects away from the wall 12. In orderto reduce the weight of the arm 10 from its base or bracket connectedend to its free end, the arm is preferably of gradually diminishingwidth from the base end to the free end tip as best seen in FIGURE 2,with the side arms 17 converging toward one another.

Patented Nov. 21, 1961 At its base end, the arm 10 is preferably ofslightly greater width than the width of the bracket 11 so that in thecollapsed condition of the arm as shown in FIG- URE 2 the bracket isconcealed behind the arm, thus affording a neat, trim collapsedarrangement and appearance.

On its upper end portion, the bracket 11 is provided with means forsupporting the arm 10 in both its erected and its collapsed,non-operating positions as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, respectively. Tothis end, the bracket 11 comprises a vertically elongated plate,preferably tapering from its upper end to its lower end (FIG. 5)generally conformable to the tapering, gradually diminishing width ofthe cantilever arm 10 which overlaps and conceals the bracket in thecollapsed position of the arm. While the bracket 11 may comprise acasting of aluminum or other suitable metal, it may also be made frommoldable material such as synthetic plastic, or it may be formed up fromsheet metal of suitable gauge.

At its upper or head end the bracket 11 has means for quick-releasablysupporting the arm in either of its erected or collapsed position,desirably comprising a pair of forwardly projecting ear-like supportingflanges 18 disposed in coextensive, parallel relation along therespective opposite vertical margins of the body plate of the bracketand with the outer sides of the flanges spaced apart slightly less thanthe inside spacing between the side flanges 17 of the arm 10 so as to bereceived between the arm side flanges. Horizontally aligned in upperforward portions of the supporting ear flanges 18 are respective journalapertures 19 receptive of pin type bearing and connecting means, hereinin the form of headed screw or bolt-like members 20 pivotallysupportingly extending through suitable matching apertures 21 (FIGS. 3and 6) in the side flanges 17 of the arm 10.

For supporting the cantilever arm 10 in a forwardly and upwardly obliqueoperative, playing position as shown in FIGURES 1, 3 and 6, the earflanges 18 of the bracket are provided with socket-like structure withinwhich the attached lower base or butt end of the arm is engaged; Forthis purpose, the respective ear flanges 18 are provided in their headend portions with identical oblique upwardly and forwardly-openingtransversely aligned socket slots 22 of a width which will reasonablysnugly but freely slidably receive therein the butt end extremitymarginal portion of the body of the arm 10 along the side marginsadjacent juncture 'with the end portions of the side flanges 17 of thearm, as best vvisualized in FIGURE 5. The socket slots 22 have the mouthends thereof set back relative to the arm journals sulficiently toenable free swinging of the butt end portion of the arm 10 relative tothe socket slot mouths. Guiding of the arm end into the socket slots 22is facilitated by the provision of upwardly offset lead-in cam or entrylips 23 on the upper entrance sides of the socket slots. Forwardly ofthe months into the socket slots 22 the upper edges of the flanges 18above the journal apertures 19 are downwardly inset as at 24 in order toclear the body butt end portion of the arm 10in swinging the same aboutthe pivotal, supporting connection into and out of the socket slots 22.

In order to permit not only pivotal swinging movement of the arm 10 butalso a limited range of longitudinal reciprocal movement for insertingof the butt end portion of the arm into the socket slots 22 andwithdrawal from the socket slots, the arm side flange journal apertures21 are longitudinally elongated as best seen in FIG- URES 3 and 6.Through this arrangement, the arm 10 is adapted to be swung up from itscollapsed position about the pivot provided by the pin structure 20 andby a longitudinal movement rearwardly of the arm the buttend portion ofthe arm body is engaged retainingly in the socket slots 22, the pivotalaxis of the arm and the plane through the slots being oriented toaccomplish this smoothly and efficiently, with the arm pivot structureserving to guide the butt end of the arm into general alignment with theslots incident to swinging the arm upwardly and the lead-in lips 23coacting with the arm pivot structure to assure reception of the arm endportion incident to rearward and downward movement of the arm as theupward swinging of the arm is completed. Gravitational cantilever forceon the major extent of the arm projecting from the supporting bracketassures a strong frictional interengagement of the supporting structureand the arm to resist strongly accidental dislodgment of the arm fromits socketed supported forwardly projecting position.

Release and collapsing of the arm are readily effected by the simpleexpedient of pulling the arm 10 forwardly and upwardly to shift it aspermitted by the extent of the longitudinally elongated journal slots 21in the side flanges of the arm until the butt end portion of the armbody is released from the socket slots 22 and the arm thengravitationally swung down into the collapsed position relative to thebracket 11.

Means are provided for supporting the scoring hook 15 on the lowerportion of the bracket 11 and preferably in a manner to enablecollapsing of the hook into a compact out of the way position with andrelative to the arm 10 in the collapsed non-operating position thereof.To this end, the hook member 15 includes a shank portion 25 projectingaway from the open hook head and provided with -a terminal loop ,27preferably lying in the plane of the hook head and affording a bearingengaged about a journal pin 28 supported between a pair of suitblyspaced parallel ear flanges 29 projecting forwardly from the lowerportion of the bracket 11, preferably on the longitudinal median planeof the bracket. For holding the hook member 15 in its extended playingposition, a rigid stop bar 30 extends transversely across and is securedagainst the undersurfaces of the edges of the supporting cars 29 forengagement by the hook shank 25. In this position of the hook, its headportion opens generally upwardly and rearwardly relative to the bracket11 in proper playing position.

From the extended position shown in full line in FIG- URE 6, the hookmember 15 is adapted to be collapsed into the position shown in dottedline by swinging the same about its pivot 28 upwardly and rearwardlytoward the bracket 11. In the collapsed position the hook is adapted tobe held by the arm 10 as shown in dash outline in FIGURE 6.

In order to enable the arm 10 to hang straight down parallel to the wall12 in the collapsed condition, and closer to the wall than would bepermitted by the diameter of the head of the hook 15, a clearance slot31 is preferably provided longitudinally centered in the body of the arm10 and in that portion which directly opposes the bight portion of thehook in collapsed position so that such bight portion may projectthrough the slot substantially as indicated in FIGURES 2 and 6. Thus thearm 10 in the collapsed position thereof retains the hook member 15 inits collapsed position.

Through the arrangement shown, the device comprises a compactsubstantially unitary structure, with both the arm 10 and the hook 15supported by the common bracket 11. This bracket is adapted to beattached to the wall 12 in permanent fashion and at a suitable playingheight which is also calculated to have the free end of the arm 10 clearof the base or floor from which the wall rises. Suitable means forattaching the bracket 11 to the wall 12 may comprise screws or bolts 32,a pair of such bolts adjacent respectively the upper end and the lowerend of the bracket (FIGS. and 6) and having the shanks thereof extendingthrough suitable apertures 33 in the body of the bracket (FIG. 4) andsuitably anchored to or into the wall 12.

When it is desired to play the game, the cantilever arm 10 is swung upfrom the collapsed depending position shown in dash outline in FIGURE 6and in full outline in FIGURE 2 into the position shown in heavy dashoutline in FIGURE 6 wherein the butt end of the arm is just clear of themouth ends of the socket slots 22. Then by slidably pushing the armtoward the full line position shown in FIGURE 6, the butt end portion ofthe body of the arm engages within the slots and the arm is held inforwardly projecting cantilever playing position. At the same time thatthe arm is swung up, the hook 15 gravitationally drops from the dashoutline position in FIG- URE 6 into the playing position shown in fulloutline. Play then proceeds by swinging of the ring member 14 on itsflexible tether toward the hook 15 in order to score by ringing the hookas shown in FIGURE 1.

After a period of play has been completed and it is desired to collapsethe game device, the arm 10 is pulled outwardly to release the butt endportion thereof from the socket slots 22 and the arm is then swung down,while the hook member 15 is swung up and the collapsed condition of thearm and hook as shown in full outline in FIGURE 2 and in dash outline inFIGURE 6 prevails wherein the device is compactly adjacent to the wall12 in a satisfactory out of the way position. In the collapsed position,the ring member 14 will conveniently be accommodated upon the bracketears 14 behind the upswung shank 25 of the hook member as shown in dashoutline in FIGURES 2 and 6, substantially concealed behind the overlyingdepending arm member 10. The tether 13 may be looped over and behind thehook shank 25 to be out of the way and concealed similarly as the ring14, thus avoiding any necessity for detaching the tether from the arm10, but having it in ready position for resumption of play when the arm10 and the hook 15 are repositioned in their extended playingrelationship.

It will be understood that modifications and variations may be effectedwithout departing from the scope of the novel concepts of the presentinvention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a game apparatus of the character described, a cantilever armhaving a tether on its free end swingably supporting a play-ing member,a supporting structure, the arm having a butt end portion, meanspivotally securing said butt end portion to said supporting structurefor movement of the arm between a collapsed position and an extendedcantilever position, said pivotal securing means and the arm butt endportion affording in addition to pivotal connection to the supportingstructure a limited range of longitudinal reciprocal movement of the armrelative to the supporting structure, socket means carried by thesupporting structure and positioned relative to the pivotal supportingmeans to receive the butt end of the arm by relative reciprocal movementof the arm for holding the arm in said extended cantilever position, anda scoring member carried by the supporting structure below the socketmeans and in position to be scoringly engaged by the playing membersw-ingably manipulated on its tether from the cantilever supported arm.

2. In game apparatus of the character described, supporting structure, acantilever playing arm pivotally mounted on said supporting structurefor movement swingabl-y between erected forwardly extending andcollapsed downwardly hanging positions relative to the supportingstructure, means on the supporting structure for releasably retainingthe arm in the erected position, a scoring member pivotally mounted onsaid supporting structure for movement between forwardly projectingerected and upwardly swung collapsed positions below said arm, and meanson said arm for holding the scoring member in said collapsed positionthereof when the arm is in the downwardly hanging collapsed positionrelative to the supporting structure.

3. In apparatus of the character described, a wall mounted brackethaving an upper end portion provided with pivotal supporting means, aplaying arm pivotally supported by said supporting means, means on thebracket for retaining the arm in erected forwardly projecting positionand from which the arm is releasable for pivotal downswinging intosubstantially concealing relation to the bracket, a scoring hook member,and a pivotal support carried by the lower portion of the bracket andsupporting the hook member for swinging in a generally vertical planebetween a forwardly projecting playing position and a collapsed positiongenerally behind the collapsed playing arm.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the collapsed position of thehook member is generally upwardly and a portion of the hook member isengaged by the arm whereby the hook member is held in such collapsedposition by the arm but gravitationally swings down into its projectingposition when the arm is swung up toward its erected position.

5. In game apparatus of the character described, a vertically elongatedwall mounted bracket, a pair of forwardly projecting spaced flange earson the upper portion of the bracket, a cantilever arm, means pivotallymounting one end portion of the arm upon said ears, said ears havingsocket structure releasably engageable with the adjacent end of the armand thereby supporting the arm to project forwardly from the bracket,the arm being releasable from the socket for swinging down relative tosaid ears into a downwardly extending collapsed position alongside thebracket, a pair of supporting ears projecting from the lower portion ofthe bracket, a scoring hook member pivotally carried by said lower ears,means coactive between the hook member and the lower ears for holdingthe hook member projected forwardly in playing position and releasablerelative to the lower ears for swinging upwardly of the hook membertoward the bracket, and means on the arm for engaging and holding thehook member in its upwardly swung collapsed position when the arm is inits downwardly extending collapsed position.

6. In a game apparatus of the character described, a verticallyelongated bracket constructed and arranged to be applied at a suitableelevation to a wall, said bracket having on the upper end portionthereof spaced transversely aligned ear flanges provided in the upperportion thereof with forwardly opening aligned socket slots, 21generally channel shaped cantilever arm having a body portion andangular side flanges with an end edge of the body portion between saidside flanges, means pivotally connecting said side flanges to said earflanges and affording a limited range of reciprocal longitudinalrelative movement of the arm and ear flanges enabling pivotal swingingof the arm between collapsed downwardly hanging and erected forwardlyprojecting positions and engagement and disengagement of the adjacentend edge of the arm body with respect to said socket slots by saidreciprocal longitudinal relative movement, the outer end portion of thearm carrying a swingable playing device including a ring on its lowerend, a pair of supporting ears on the lower portion of the bracket underthe arm and substantially closer together than and centered with respectto said ear flanges on the upper end portion of the bracket, and ascoring hook member pivotally attached between said lower ears andswingably collapsible toward the bracket, the channel of the arm openingdownwardly in the forwardly projecting position thereof and openingtoward the bracket in the collapsed position of the arm whereby thecollapsed scoring hook member is received within the arm channel in thecollapsed position of the arm.

7. In a game apparatus, a vertical wall mounted bracket, a cantileverarm, means on one end of the arm and on the upper end portion of thebracket pivotally and releasably supporting the arm for cantileverprojection from the bracket and enabling release of the arm for pivotalmovement into a downwardly projecting collapsed position along theforward face of the bracket, a tether carried by the free end of the armand having a playing ring on its free end, a supporting projectionextending a limited distance forwardly on the lower end portion of thebracket below the arm supporting means, a playing hook member, meanspivotally connecting the playing hook member on said projection formovement of the hook member between a forwardly projecting playingposition and an upwardly and rearwarclly pivoted collapsed positiontoward the bracket, said arm in its downwardly extending collapsedposition engaging and holding the hook member in its upwardly pivotedcollapsed position and said projection providing a support for the ringmember between the collapsed hook member and the bracket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS292,899 Davies Feb. 5, 1884 437,036 McGann Sept. 23, 1890 848,168Grandchamp Mar. 26, 1907 1,052,907 Fergusson Feb. 11, 1913 2,095,390Lange Oct. 12, 1937 2,147,176 Ronzone Feb. 14, 1939 2,705,122 WhiteheadMar. 29, 1955

